The Beast Within
by father earth
Summary: Gaia isnt done fighting for her control over the planet yet, she just has to take the fight to new means


-The Beast within

"**Every person has a beast within them" **or so the president has told or nation since he himself turned into a dark and powerful panther. That panther is the most potent threat we have to keep the other nations from attacking us. We took down the U.S.A. and Great Britain. I guess I should explain who I am and how we have come to power in the past few years. My name is Col. James Handle R, and I am the vice president of the United Powers of Nature (U.S.N.). Mother Nature decided that she was tired of getting walked all over so she stood up and choose a small group of "tree huggers" that did a little more than passive resistance and gave them powers the likes of which man could only imagine before. She gave Gen. Forsie Handle G, the power of shadow mastery, which included the power to travel through shadows and take others with her, I was given mastery of fire (and yes I can summon it), Lt. Col. Mark Handle L, mastery of water (manipulation but not summoning), Lt. Col. Samuel Handle A, mastery of air, and last but not least Lt. Col. Frelan Handle S, mastery of earth. We are all brothers except our president Gen. Handle who is my wife. We were the original _Order of Gaia_. And this is or story….

"Well, it's time to go home guys… The movie's over, and the cops are out looking for people like us." Said Mark

"Okay lets go but when we get there we are going to finish this. You may be older but you can't just boss us around" I said. On the way home, since we had to avoid the cops it took way to long, we found and opening in the ground. "Let's go take a look and see if we can do anything for that place," I guess I forgot to mention that we already had some powers to make plants grow, as we entered the cave we started glowing, but since we weren't weakened and our powers still worked we didn't think anything of it so we continued on our way to the back of the cave were we found her. She was an old weak lady that looked like she need medical attention ASAP so our self appointed leader started barking orders (James make the plants, Forsie get ready to collect the sap, Samuel help her onto her side and make sure she is alive enough for us to risk getting caught) as I started growing the needed plants to make the life potion Forsie said "we are helping her no matter what so don't even think we are leaving till she is ether up and well, or she is beyond all help." The lady stood up and said "thank you kind children but I do not require your help but I think I can help you out in your struggle against the government that has destroyed this planet. I am Gaia, better known as Mother Nature, and I can grant you greater control over nature. She sat down and started talking to herself, but it sounded like she was talking to other people "Listen my brothers and sisters I have found a group of worthy children of the Earth to take up the fight that we lost thousands of years ago, please trust me and lend your powers to these children and trust them to save the planet." The light that surrounded us started to grow brighter and I noticed that everyone was engulfed in different colors (which I now know corresponded with our new powers) and my vision started to blur next thing I knew we were all back home in our beds awaiting the next day to start.

When we were all awake, the voice of that lady, Gaia, sounded in the air around us. "You have all been empowered by me and my family the forces of nature all we ask is return is that you use your knew found power to save the planet. You must act fast. Because if the planet stays dead long enough we will die, and you will lose the power we have given you." "Gaia can you hear us as well?" Forsie asked. "Yes my dear, what do you need" she said

"What do we need to do in order to save you?"

"You must simply stop the destruction of the natural parts of the planet and start the regrowth of the wild."

"We will do our best, listen up guys we need to start at the small local power plants and take them out"

"Before you head out I suggest that you figure out what you can do, I can tell you that between the five of you the power to control the four elements and shadows were given. However in the weakened state we are in we don't know who was given each power you must figure that out for yourself"

We started off heading out in our directions, well everyone but me and Forsie, we starting sparring with each other to figure out what our powers were. Since all five of us were trained in Tae-Kwon-Do, black belts all but Mark was a Deputy, sparring was a common thing around our house, and along with the sparring was the broken bones that came from small lack of control, or flying tempers at the wrong time. We started out just feeling a bit stronger then we had the previous day, but when I threw a punch at her when she was a few inches further then my reach flames shot out of the end of my arm, and at that same moment she vanished and reappeared right behind me grabbing and twisting my free arm behind my back, "I give" but it was too late my arm was broken. "AWWWWW"

"I'm sorry let's see what I can do about that." She made the metal around us start sprouting plants, and then she pulled out the sap of this very strong looking one and mixed it with a little of her power. "Now straighten out your arm and hold it in place, you know the drill." She put the home made healing potion on my arm right where it was broken and the bones fixed themselves. "Okay so I have power over fire, what was that you did honey?"

"I just thought about being behind you and next thing I knew everything went black for a second and then boom I was behind you twisting your arm"

"Just like when Hades travels through the shadows, let's see can you try it again?"

"Okay" she went from my side where she still had hold of my arm, to wrapped up in my arms leaning on my chest

"Okay I know how you moved but how did I"

"I just thought about how I wanted to be and where and then it happened all at once"

"So you can control others with it as well, that could come in very handy" just then her legs gave out "what happened?"

"I don't know but I feel very weak all of a sudden I guess I better not do that very often"

We walked over to the couch and sat down, she leaned over and laid her head on my chest, just as Mark walked in

"I thought you guys were in her training, not sleeping"

"Ha-ha very funny Mark we were training, but Forsie almost passed out so we are taking a break"

As each group finished their matches we meet up at our house. "What have we learned about our new powers?" I asked. As we each told what we could do and what the limitations on our elements were Gaia spoke to us again "children now that you know what your powers are let me explain how they work, yes they are yours to control freely, but if you ever try to us them against each other you will lose them until you can work out your differences on your own. Other than that use them as you see fit, please hurry up every day brings us that much closer to death."

"Now let's see the powers we all claim to have Samuel you are up let's see what you got bro" I said.

"Okay, but it's not exactly what I'd call great or anything" He stood in the middle of the room and put his arms up in the traditional fighting stance and went through one of our old training routines, but I noticed that each time he kicked or punched there was a strong and noticeable blast of air from his fist or foot. "So you can control air it seems"

"Yes I can, see not that great."

"I don't know what you're talking about that's better then what I got" said Mark "all I can do is control water" He stood up and put a bowel of water on the ground, put his hands over the water palms down and made fists the water jumped up from the bowel onto his hands and down the length of his arms. He then shot his arms out to the side and the water rushed down his arms forming to liquid swords. He asked me the step forward so he could demonstrate his powers I said "sure but, I want to try something" I stood up and shot my hands out to the side thinking fire and then to swords made of fire appeared in my hands. We started fighting, when ever our swords clashed steam hissed into the air, holding the flames in this manner was draining me fast so I pulled the flame in and made it cover my fists, "now it's time for round to lets go bro."

"NO" Forsie said, she appeared between us a hand on each of our chest "you have shown us enough gentlemen let Frelan have his turn."

"Okay, now give me some space I don't have good control over this yet." He stood up and went to the center of the room held his hands out to the side; rocks started flying in from outside and floating around his hands. Once there was almost more rock above him then there was room for that clapped his hands together and the rocks encased him like a suit of armor. "I can manipulate the earth around me to do whatever I want, but I can't control the metal so I in this town I can't do much to help."

"I don't know what you're talking about you can help plenty there is earth under all the metal never forget that Frelan" Forsie Said.

Gaia spoke up for the last time, for a while at least, "Listen my children, you have seen what each other can do, and you have discovered a few new powers of your own. Now please go forward and save us we are too weak to help as of now, so you are on your own. You are children of the earth born for this service to the planet you cannot fail, however the job will be hard."

"Let's go we have to get this done first stop is the local plant that took out that last piece of natural earth in this county" said Forsie "everyone get close I want to try taking us all in the shadows"….

We all appeared outside the gate of the _Power of the Future _power plant; Forsie hit the ground about five seconds later, "are you okay honey"

"No, that took more out of me then I thought I need to rest for a while I'm sorry guys start without me I'll be there in a minute."

Very reluctantly and after a few minutes thought I said "okay lets go guys, she'll catch up as soon as she can", biggest mistake I could have made for the team but best thing I could have done for her.

"Thanks James" I said, and no sooner had the left did I fall asleep but I wasn't really asleep I was conscience un able to move as I heard a voice that I heard before but couldn't place. The owner of the voice stepped out the woods, then started sniffing around my body I knew that if I moved at all then the panther would know I was alive, but all I could think was "I know that ting was just talking to me"

"Child of the earth do not fear me, I am here to give a gift from the great warriors of old, the power to turn to the animal within you for help. Take our gift, but be warned that it can only be given once and once given it will take away all stress and worry from those it is bestowed upon. Do you want it now?"

"Yes"  
"Then so be it"

There was a flash of light, and I saw about five hundred wild cats all at once. The physical stress left my body, and the worry for my family was gone, replaced by one thought alone. I MUST protect my family, my pack. I thought of being by their side, and being to help as best I can and when I got there, a split second after I starting thinking, I noticed everyone had gotten a lot taller, and that everyone had their "weapons" drawn and were facing down against a few not-so friendly looking robots.

As we headed into the plant I noticed two things one that I felt weaker without her by my side, and two that I knew ever place in this plant that used fire. The first of those thoughts were backed up when Frelan and mark said "what's with the power drain when we walk in here"

"That would be the effect of our power warders it weakens everyone that walks in here"

Senses that I didn't even know I had took over, and I jumped out to side and shouted "Don't let them get past us" I looked around a few seconds later and noticed that everyone had their "weapons" out waiting for the fight to start, when out of no were a panther appeared and bared its teeth at the robots looking at us with those weird ugly looking faces, and those overly sharp, five foot long blades. The panther shifted and in its place Forsie stood with her shadow stretching out beneath her.

"If you want to touch my pack you are going to have to go through me, got that" She appeared between two of the three bots, who swung there blades at her, she then appeared back next to us as their blades sank into each other, right when they took each other down I shot fire into the last one taking it out in not as flashy way. "What's up with that panther transformation, were did that come from?" As she explained how a warrior of the wild in the shape of a panther came to her when she should have been with the rest of us, and she decided to take the gift on all of our behalves we heard a new voice.

"Don't worry, all children of the earth, who Mother Nature has chosen to protect her, can unlock the beast within, but it will be a long and dangerous road to get this power. It failed us in the days of old, but with new blood comes new hope all I can say is that one day the animal within you will try to kill you. You must tame the beast, or it will tear you apart"

"Now who knows where to go from here?" I said

"Not sure but I know a way I can find out" Forsie said "I can transform into a panther and travel through the shadows"

"Let me stop you right there you are not going around this place alone shadow travel or not" Mark said

"Yea that's too risky you going to have to take someone with you" said Samuel

"Okay, Mark I'm taking you with me your power over water can help keep them away for a few extra seconds"

"Okay if you think I'll help" he said

Forsie leaped forward and hit the ground as a panther, and I heard her voice inside my head "Mark if you can hear me put your hand on my head and don't fear the shadows I can't control them as well in this form but I can take you with me… I think." She had a look of concentration on her cat like face but nothing happened, then we heard her voice again "sit on my back and hold onto as best you can Mark I have an idea." After Mark had gotten on and grabbed the slightly long fur on the back of her neck, she took off in a slow trot. After a few seconds she and Mark vanished and into the shadows: right when she took off another round of bots appeared these were a bit smaller than the others, but just as deadly by the looks of it. We all jumped to surround the two bots that appeared out of nowhere when all of a sudden the jumped over us, "so these smaller ones are more for fighting, well let's give them a fight we are fighting on the Order of Gaia" As I had the fire start spreading my arms and legs I noticed a few things, one that there were short blades appearing out of their wrists, two that the bots started to move away from the wall, three that Frelan wasn't doing anything at all. "Frelan what is your problem?"

"….."

"Frelan are you there?" I hit him on his arm and he just fell over then I noticed the pool of blood that had appeared around his feet and the knife sticking out of his back next thing I knew I was on all fours fire sprouting from my paws. I was looking around for a few seconds trying to find the bots that had killed my brother, and I jumped at Samuel… I blanked out after that.

Just after we all saw the knife in Frelan's back, James started to scream "YOU KILLED MY BROTHER YOU EVIL BASTARD" and his flames started spreading up from his hands and feet to cover his entire body. After what seemed like the death of a second family member, from all the screaming and kicking, were James had been a few moments ago stood a small wild cat, with flames at its paws out fuming out of its mouth the wild cat stood there looking at the bots that had killed our brother, it started looking around, and it jumped at me I shot a single blast of air to push the beast aside rushed over to Frelan and took a defensive stance ready to give my life to save my brother. The wild cat starting howling in pain and jumping around attacking everything, in the end the cat lay on the ground defeated. The bots were distracted I took my chance to hit them; jumping at their heads I managed to take one of the two out. Forsie and Mark appeared and the panther the jumped at the remaining bot and took its head off, afterwards it ripped around and faced the wounded wild cat and started to growl

"Umm…. Forsie you are growling at your husband."

"Really?"

"Yea, can't you see the flames around his paws and mouth"

I could hear the voices of my family talking but couldn't understand anything they said, and next thing I knew my wife was standing next to me holding me up. I could see a look of pain on her face, but couldn't understand what the problem was I felt fine so why didn't she make the potion she needed to make herself feel better. That's when I noticed that even though I say her mouth moving, but couldn't understand anything she said. I turned my head to the side and say that my body wasn't what I should be; it looked like a wounded wolf. I jumped out of my wife's arms and took off across the room. I curled up against the wall, having no idea what happened to me, just that the only thought I had at this point was kill, I growled every time any member of my family came near me. When I heard the warrior of old

"Your animal will try to control you, don't let it beat you"

I could now see the wild cat standing in front of me, I looked down and say that I had my body back.

The cat starting talking to me "if you can beat me you will have control over me, but if you can't this body and yours will be mine to control"

"You're on" as I said that the fire starting spreading up my arms and legs till my entire body was covered in fire, and we leaped at each other. After the battle had raged on for a few minutes we each had a death grip on the other, my hand at is head ready to shot fire, his mouth at my throat. When we heard two voices.

"I am the warrior of old Pantheon"

"And I am Apollo, controller of fire in the first order of Gaia"

Speaking at together as one being "we have seen this fight long enough, and in this realm of fire we are at our full strength, this fight is draw. As such we will take the wild cat form away you James and the wild cat will have no power over you, until one of you is strong enough to take over the other. Now we will put your body back to normal James and you must not tell the other about this realm for they can never visit it, if they do they will be killed. All of them have a realm such as this the realm of their element. Controlled by the god and warrior of old that was of the element."

Chapter 1


End file.
